Since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine two years ago, Fondation Hirondelle, in partnership with the Ukrainian organization IRMI (International Institute for Regional Media and Information), has been supporting hyperlocal media in the country. Thanks to this support, the local newspaper Trudova Slava from the city of Orikhiv, now 80% destroyed, was able to relocate its newsroom out of the frontline zone and maintain vital and reliable information for the population.

It is often so that newspapers are the only type of media available to local residents in front-line, de-occupied areas, and sometimes in remote villages in other parts of Ukraine. “The level of public awareness is very low, and it is often difficult to even talk about any awareness. Apart from our newspaper, rumours are the only source of "information" for people” explains Svitlana Karpenko, the editor of Trudova Slava. Although the readers of the newspaper scattered after the start of the war, the local newspaper Trudova Slava managed to maintain its operations: its first relocated issue was published in spring 2022. Svitlana was able to bring this issue to her hometown of Orikhiv, accompanied by rescuers.

The Trudova Slava regional newspaper is one of the participants of the Improving Media Resilience in Ukraine project, which is implemented by IRMI and Fondation Hirondelle and funded by la Chaîne du Bonheur - Swiss Solidarity. Trudova Slava has joined the project this year, and now the newsroom is receiving multi-level support – training, mentoring, financial and technical – just as over 20 regional newsrooms, mainly from the occupied and frontline areas. They carry on working and building up their capacity. All newsrooms have turned multimedia. The project supported the printing and delivery of regional newspapers, provided the necessary equipment for mobile journalism and other editorial work. Over half of the media grant funds were spent on development: staff were increased, content was improved, new equipment was purchased, which ensures stable work under difficult conditions.

The project also aims to provide training in modern media business tools and techniques, on the use of audience research tools and multimedia newsroom management. The preparation of the media for JTI certification has begun, which is extremely important. Therefore, all of them – newspapers, radio, TV channels participating in the project – have real chances not just to carry on, but also to become more advanced and competitive, and to build the trust of their audiences.

For Svitlana Karpenko, “Thanks to our participation in the project, we have the opportunity to reach the community members that remain under shelling, and those who have left their homes. It gives people the feeling that they are not forgotten, that they are supported, that we are together. By mastering new technologies, we develop. We will work - we will get a chance to stay in the news market and in the profession to which we have given years of life”.

Watch the video to learn more about Svitlana and the Trudova Slava newspaper: